Come back in time with me to 15th century Scotland. It is here we find the origins of the popular sport of Golf. Most people would be surprised to hear that Golf originated in Scotland as it has become a predominantly American sport in the 21st century. But back then it was a simple game where Scots would attempt to hit pebbles over hills and around curved dunes.
Ironically the sport became so popular that King James the Second had to ban the sport to ensure people were keeping up with their military training. But by 1502 a member of the Royal Family had taken to the sport, leading to the ban being lifted and Golf slowly spreading across Europe.
Fast forward to today and Golf has changed a lot since its inception. It now has more focused rules and goals. Where the game was originally a test of skill shots, which are still a vital part of a winning golf strategy, these days it is all about your final score. But a lot of people wrongly assume Golf isn’t all that competitive. This is because the main image people have of Golfers are businessmen simply enjoying a leisurely stroll around the greens while making plans.
But this is far from the truth. Today we are going to be unpacking exactly why Golf is far more competitive than it seems on the surface.
High Skill Ceiling
A skill ceiling is the term given to the ultimate progression of skills within a game. The lowest level is simply understanding the rules. The top of the ceiling would be being at the top of the pro leagues. For sports such as Football, there is a lot of skill involved but the skill ceiling is a lot lower than Golf.
Golf is one of the most difficult sports to master. Mainly because it requires a lot of intricate techniques to pull off trick shots or to even get the ball near the green. Golfers are aiming for a tiny hole from potentially miles away. The odds of making a hole-in-one in Golf are estimated to be 12,500 to 1 for a non professional. For a professional it will be lower, but still very high.
Gambling websites like sports-no1.com highlight this high sill ceiling with detailed analytics that show you just how difficult it is become a golfing pro. As well, these sites offer detailed insight into what makes specific players so good at the game. And often it comes down to years or rigorous training. Both mentally and physically.
Mental Training
In a game such as Football you need to be making constant tactical decisions based on what your opponents and your fellow teammates are doing. On top of that you will most likely be following a team strategy set out by your captain before the match. While it is difficult to take all of these factors into consideration all at once, often the instinct acquired from years of playing and training will put a player into autopilot.
Golf, on the other hand, is far more complex. Golfers have so much to contend with. The primary obstacle is distance between their tee off point and the green. Secondly they have to consider any obstacles in their way. Dunes. Trees. Curved landscape. And they have to contend with the wind, the most difficult obstacle faced by any golfer.
When stepping up to take their shot a Golfer has to do a huge number of calculations in their head. Working out which club will allow for the optimal distance shot, paired with how strong their swing needs to be. Then factoring in the wind resistance or boost, depending on the wind’s direction. They will also need to factor in the terrain on which the ball lands for their follow up shots.
When the golfer steps up to the tee they often don’t have a whole team of players to rely on. These decisions are theirs to make alone. And even if they have calculated the optimal power to hit the ball with the optimal club, they still have to be physically adept enough to pull off the shot. If you have ever struggled to thread a string through a needle you will have some idea of how difficult a golfer has it when it comes to landing a shot.
So next time you try to write Golf off as being a non-sport, take all these factors into account. You may just find a new found respect for those who have dedicated their life to the sport.
